It is a truth universally acknowledged that parenting comes with a plethora of fears. I remember being scared to keep anything other than my baby in his crib because I was so worried that even a pound of extra weight would collapse the crib.
This fear led me to do some research on how much weight can a crib hold, and I found that crib weight limits depend on numerous factors.
Most companies weigh their cribs, keeping only the weight of one baby in mind. It’s kind of understandable because cribs are ideally designed to hold a single baby and a mattress.
While cribs often state the maximum recommended weight instead of their maximum weight capacity, I think it’s essential to test out how much extra weight a crib can hold.
This could include baby supplies, sheets, blankets, toys, etc. Some cribs are even designed to hold two babies at a time.
Keeping your baby in a crib that is appropriate for their weight is an essential factor when it comes to choosing a safe sleeping spot for them.
So, knowing how much weight can a crib hold will also help you figure out whether your baby has outgrown their crib or not. If you’re an anxious parent like I used to be, go ahead and read this article to find out more about crib weight limits.
The Build Of The Crib
Not all cribs are the same. Cribs vary depending on the materials they are built with, their shapes, sizes, and designs. This can also affect the crib weight limit, so it is essential that you do your research before purchasing a crib for your baby.
How much weight can a baby crib hold mainly depends on the type of material used to build the crib. In particular, you ought to look for the material that is used to produce the bottom part of the crib, as this is where most of the weight it held.
People prefer getting cribs made of wood as it is a strong and sturdy material. A wooden build is thus a safer alternative.
While stronger varieties of wood include American Beech, maple, ash, oak, and birch, I think pine and softwood are also great choices as I’ve seen pine beds easily holding even two adults. Plywood is not a good option as it is flimsy and cannot hold much weight safely.
We’re seeing more and more wooden cribs in the market these days. They are painted and polished to enhance their appearance and to avoid splinters. There is a chance that some wooden cribs might have unsafe finishes, which is why it’s vital that you go for cribs that have a Greenguard Gold certification.
Another factor that determines how much weight can a crib hold is the rigidity of the crib frame. I’d suggest that you always go for cribs that have more than one stabilizer bar. This will help in making the frame sturdier and increasing the weight capacity of the crib.
To keep your child from harming themselves, most cribs use as few screws and nails as possible. So an extra-rigid frame could help quite a lot to improve the strength of the crib. Mattress frames shouldn’t be made of weak materials like plastic.
It’s best to go for metal or wooden frames that are stiff and sturdy. Some cribs also feature wooden slats. These cribs have a better weight capacity compared to the ones that do not feature strong slats.
Nonetheless, it is always important to check the weight limit specified by the company. Make sure you find out what the maximum weight capacity is. It is ideal to follow the safety instructions provided by the company to avoid any kind of risk.
You can easily avail these details online, and they will definitely help you make a more informed decision.
How Weight Limit Testing Is Done
The weight limits of cribs are tested by The American Society of Testing Materials. The best way to determine how much weight can a crib hold is by doing the Mattress Support Vertical Impact Test.
The test helps figure out the weight capacity of the crib’s overall support system, including its joints. It involves dropping a 45-pound weight repeatedly from a height of 6 inches on different spots on the crib mattress to find out how much damage it can sustain.
When Does Your Baby Outgrow Their Crib?
You need to know when it’s time to shift your baby from their crib to a bed. Most parents make this transition when their babies have grown enough to climb out of their cribs. This is why cribs usually have a height restriction of 35-36 inches.
Cribs generally have a weight limit ranging between 35 and 50 pounds. It is best to shift your baby to a toddler bed or a daybed after they reach this limit. In fact, you can identify when to make the change once you start noticing restlessness in their face to get out of the crib.
Nonetheless, here is a chart that shows the average height and weight of a toddler according to their age. This can help you determine when to take your baby out of the crib.
Convertible Cribs
Many cribs available in the market today are multifunctional, i.e., you can convert them into a toddler bed and then a full-size bed. They take the idea of “cribs are an investment” quite seriously as these cribs grow with your baby and are pretty durable. I strongly suggest that you get these cribs as they are space-saving and come in ergonomic designs.
They are economical, too, as you don’t need to invest additional money into getting more beds as your child grows. With each stage of a multifunctional crib, its weight limit changes. A crib that can hold a baby weighing 45 pounds can also be easily converted into a full-size bed that can support a grown teenager.
Even if you convert them into a toddler bed or a daybed, the weight limit of these cribs remains the same. But you can purchase some add-ons to improve their weight capacity. For example, a crib conversion rail can help a great deal in increasing the strength of the crib and, subsequently, the crib weight limit.
Mini Cribs
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission refers to mini-cribs as “non-full-size baby cribs.” Most parents opt for a mini crib when they’re short of space and need a cost-effective alternative to regular-sized cribs. Mini cribs are also available in a convertible format, so you can easily transition them into a toddler bed and then a full-size bed.
Mini cribs have similar functionalities as a regular-sized crib, but you should keep in mind that with its smaller size, the mini crib weight limit reduces. Mini cribs can hold up to a weight ranging between 22 and 40 pounds.
You might have to transition your child to a toddler bed sooner from a mini crib compared to regular-sized cribs, roughly estimating about six months earlier than a regular-sized crib.
Should You Climb Inside The Crib?
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, part of being a parent is worrying about your kid. Even if you’ve done all your research and got the perfect crib that fulfills all the safety standards for your child, you’re bound to want to be closer to them at all times.
If your child is finding it difficult to sleep alone, you might even want to climb inside the crib with them and put them to sleep.
As great as it sounds, sleeping with your baby in their crib is definitely not a good idea, because it would be difficult for an adult to fit inside it. Most cribs have a maximum weight capacity of 50 pounds and are designed to hold babies and not a full-sized adult like you.
In case you’re looking for alternatives to climbing inside your child’s crib, you can consider placing a mattress on the floor and building safety railings around it. This will avoid any fears of your kid climbing out of the crib and falling.
This also gives plenty of space for your child to play in, and you can climb in and out any time you want. I’ve also seen some parents keeping an air mattress next to their baby’s crib and sleeping on it. This will also help you keep an eye on your baby at all times.
Conclusion
In case you were wondering how much weight can a baby crib hold, I hope you’ve got your answer. I think it’s best to change your kid to a toddler bed as soon as they start crawling, as this reduces risks and gives your baby more room.
So, the gist of this article would be:
Cribs generally have a weight capacity of 35-50 pounds, while the mini crib weight limit would be between 22 and 40 pounds.
Crib weight limits vary depending on the materials used to build the crib.
Parents should not climb inside their baby’s crib.
Carly Link, a 33-year old mother of two toddlers. She is a parent and goes through a lot of the usual parenting difficulties herself. Carly shares all her experiences and knowledge about the best baby products through this blog.
